Konstantin:

The morning began, as usual, with a light breakfast and a cup of coffee prepared by my chef.

My mood was lifted by a recent major deal-one that wasn't just profitable, but truly interesting to me. Our firm had finalized it only a couple of days ago, and it involved some very influential people.

As an inventor, I thrived on complex tasks and challenges. My mind was constantly buzzing with projects and ideas for such assignments.

While mulling over yet another invention that could be improved, I drove myself to MoTech-my brainchild. I had a personal driver and security detail, of course, but whenever I needed time to think, I preferred to get behind the wheel myself. My men always followed in another car and had long since grown used to my quirks. Though, why call them quirks? I bought expensive, sometimes exclusive cars, and I enjoyed driving them myself, feeling the raw power of the machines.

Driving helped me think. In fact, whenever ideas came to me, I could fixate on almost any action just to hold on to the thought and work through every detail. Once, I stood frozen for an hour in a shopping mall in front of a glass waterfall installation. That was when the idea struck me on how to enhance smartphone camera resolution at night.

Those close to me-both family and trusted employees-knew about this trait of mine. Nothing surprised them anymore, and they had also learned that it was best not to disturb me in those moments.

Pulling into the company's underground parking lot, I spotted my longtime colleague, Nicole. She waited until I parked the car, and together we headed to my office to discuss the recent contract. Not many employees know the kind of agreements we sometimes sign, or the sort of people we deal with. Only a few are privy to such things-and Nicole is one of them.

Strange as it may sound, this redheaded beauty is one of my best developers. She was practically one of the very first I started working with many years ago, back when everything was just taking shape.

Naturally, at the beginning, I even tried to make a move on her, but she turned me down-politely. And I'm glad she did. Surprisingly, her refusal never affected our relationship; instead, we grew to be very close friends. In hindsight, it's for the best that nothing happened between us. She's far too valuable as an employee, and together we've brought many projects to life.

Walking through the sleek corridors, we took the elevator up to the top floor. Exchanging only a few words along the way, we entered my reception area.

And that's when I was greeted with an utterly unexpected sight.

Before me was the very tempting view of someone's shapely backside! At that moment, all the blood from the upper half of my body rushed downward so quickly that my pants became unbearably tight.

Whoa. That was a first. It seemed today I had broken the record for fastest arousal-reacting like a teenager stumbling upon a lingerie magazine.

The owner of that elegant backside must have heard the door open and tried to jump up quickly, but instead she banged her head rather loudly against the desk. Despite that, she managed to spring to her feet and turn around.

For a moment, I was completely captivated. Her chestnut hair, styled in a simple manner, highlighted her light-gray eyes, in which I caught flickers of golden sparks. Her small, slightly full lips gave her face an almost angelic look. And the way she looked at me... I instantly imagined those lips, only on another part of my body.

Damn.

To shake off the sudden vision, I turned to Margo and asked,

"Margaret, what exactly is going on here?"

"Good afternoon, Konstantin. This is an interview for the position of my assistant. This is-" But before she could finish, she was interrupted.

"My name is Victoria," another voice chimed in, and that's when I realized there was a second young woman in the room. She eagerly stretched out her hand toward me in greeting.

This girl wasn't shy in the least. With her body language alone, she was already flirting with me. I might not have minded spending some pleasant time with this Victoria under other circumstances, but now she was practically about to become my employee. And I had one rule: no intimate relationships with subordinates.

Knowing Margarita, I could tell that the little curtsy from the girl had clearly annoyed her.

"Yes, this is Victoria," Margarita said, glancing at Vika with obvious displeasure. "And this is Dana," she added, pointing toward the first girl.

Our eyes met again, and maybe it was just my imagination, but for a brief moment I thought I saw sadness flicker in hers.

I couldn't linger long in the reception area-not with the urgent need to calm down my "friend." And Dana's tempting neckline, though not even that deep, certainly wasn't helping the situation.

Nicole and I headed into my office, where we quickly immersed ourselves in discussing our project. Still, from time to time, the image of the new employee's perfect backside would pop back into my mind. Strange. As if I hadn't seen beautiful women before? I'd seen curves far juicier, but for some reason this one stuck in my head. I should have at least touched it-pinched it maybe. The thought made a foolish grin spread across my face as I pictured the reactions of everyone in the room if I had actually done that.

"Kos, are you daydreaming again?" Nicole asked with a smile. "New ideas?"

"Something like that," I replied, trying to change the subject. "What was it you wanted to talk about? We still need to go over a few points from the contract."

"Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to discuss. I think we could offer our client more advanced options for some of the positions. I sketched out a few possible improvements, and I need your opinion." Nicole pulled a folder with drawings from her bag and handed them to me.

"Perfect, let me take a look."

And just like that, our workday began.

Nicole left my office closer to noon, while I remained at my desk, completely absorbed in work. I was so focused that I had to order food delivered straight to the office.

All day long, I kept catching myself thinking about Dana. Her image lingered in my mind, distracting me from work.

My eyes grew tired, my back and neck stiff. Glancing at the clock, I saw the workday was nearly over. I packed up and stepped into the reception area. Scanning the office, I found only Margo there. A faint pang of disappointment hit me. Really? Was I hoping to see someone else? Curiosity got the better of me.

"Are you alone? Where are your assistants?"

"I let them go early today. Enough for the first day. Why, did you need something?" Margo asked, narrowing her eyes with curiosity.

"Tomorrow we need to get in touch with our client and arrange a meeting. We managed to improve several positions in the contract, and I think they'll be interested."

"Yes, this contract is a real step up, isn't it?" Margarita said with a smile. "I'll make sure to inform them tomorrow."

After saying goodbye, I headed home.

Two nights in a row, I dreamed of Dana. My imagination ran wild, and the things that happened in those dreams messed with my head all day long. Getting rid of that morning hardness became a real struggle. Since that day, I hadn't seen her in the office, but it didn't make things any easier.

I needed to release the tension in my pants. Time to call Olivia. She was excellent at dealing with that kind of problem. I didn't have a girlfriend, and I never built serious relationships. I was too busy for that kind of nonsense, and honestly, I had never met a woman who made me even consider it. People called me a die-hard bachelor-or, in some cases, a womanizer. But that wasn't quite true. I simply wasn't interested in relationships, and I saw no reason to refuse when a very attractive woman offered herself to me on a silver platter.

I always set my boundaries clearly: after intimacy, there would be no romance. Women knew what they were signing up for. And there were plenty who were perfectly happy just spending some pleasant time together without obligations. Olivia was one of them. A nymphomaniac by nature, she was always quick to answer the call of my body. Encounters like that left everyone satisfied-and everyone happy.

Dana:

The next morning, I could barely open my eyes. After all the crying last night, my eyelids were swollen, and it felt as if someone had poured sand into them. Lying for another half hour in Eli's luxurious bed, I finally decided to get up and start the day.

When I reached the bathroom, I flinched at the sight of my reflection in the mirror. Honestly, though, I hadn't expected much better after all those tears. To my surprise, I didn't feel like crying anymore.

I stepped into the shower, turned on the warm water, and let it wash away the misery of the night. Somehow, as I thought everything over, my mood began to rise. Why had I cried so hard? Probably from shock, and from the sheer unexpectedness of meeting my mate. After all, I had nearly stopped believing it would ever happen.

From what I could tell, he wasn't married, and I was free as well. Maybe something could come of it. And yet, I had gone straight into hysterics. No, that wasn't the way to handle it. I needed to pull myself together. No one would want to pay attention to a puffy-eyed mess. People are right when they say morning is wiser than evening. By daylight, my thoughts felt completely different-not so dark, not so hopeless. I could already look at everything from another angle.

Feeling both outwardly and inwardly refreshed, and with my spirits much lighter, I headed off to make myself some breakfast.

And Eli's kitchen... oh, it was stunning. State-of-the-art appliances, all the latest gadgets, every detail polished to perfection-stylish and modern in every way.

Although I don't really remember my friend ever loving-or even knowing how-to cook before she got married. Once, I recall, she decided to make a cake with condensed milk. You know, the simplest one: wafer layers with boiled condensed milk. And somehow, even with that, she managed to mess everything up-when she tried to boil that condensed milk. We were watching a movie at the time, and Elly completely forgot about her sudden burst of culinary ambition. The explosion shook the entire kitchen! Luckily, she wasn't standing anywhere near it when it happened. Anyway, it took us ages to clean that kitchen afterward.

After making myself a light breakfast, I sat down to eat and looked out the window. It was early August, the weather was simply perfect. I should really get out somewhere in the city, take a walk, maybe buy a few things.

My thoughts were interrupted by a phone call.

- "Hi, Dana!"

- "Hey, Arthur! To what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked with a smile, chewing.

- "Well, I just found out you moved to the city. And you didn't even tell your friend..." he said in such a tone that it was easy to imagine his puppy-dog eyes and theatrically pouting lower lip.

- "Everything happened so fast. And I'm still not sure if I'll be staying here or not. Things with work are still unclear."

- "Listen, how about we meet up? I'll be in the city tomorrow on business anyway, and I'll be free in the evening. Where are you staying?"

"I'm staying at Elly's place, in her city apartment. But I'm not sure if meeting tomorrow is such a good idea. I have work the next day."

"Refusal not accepted! I'll pick you up at seven. We haven't seen each other in ages."

"Well, fine. See you tomorrow," I said, hanging up.

Maybe it was for the best. A distraction wouldn't hurt, and honestly, it had been a long time since we last met.

The next morning, I shamelessly lazed around until it was time to get ready for my meeting with Arthur. As Coco Chanel once said, 'Every woman should have a little black dress in her wardrobe.' I was no exception. The cut of the dress was simple yet elegant: a fitted top with a modest but curve-flattering neckline, cinched at the waist, and a flared skirt that fell to the knee. On my feet-heeled sandals. I partially pinned up my hair and curled the ends. Just a touch of makeup, lip gloss-and done. The look turned out very light and fresh.

Surprisingly, I was ready in record time; by half past six, I was already all dressed up. Half an hour early. Always the same-either you're too early, or you're rushing and finishing up on the go.

While waiting, I scrolled through social media. I couldn't find my possible future boss there-not that it shocked me. He didn't seem like the blogger type, and he probably didn't have time for social media anyway. But I did stumble upon some information about him online. A desirable bachelor, magazine cover features, and several photos. With women. Different women.

Something stung in my chest, sharp and unpleasant. I noticed the fine fur sprouting along my hands.

Damn.

I needed to calm down, so I put my phone aside.

At five minutes to seven, I heard the doorbell.

"Hi! You look great-are you ready?" Arthur beamed, flashing a smile that showed all thirty-two teeth. He, too, had clearly made an effort: his blond hair was neatly styled into an actual hairstyle, dark blue tailored trousers sat perfectly on his frame, and his black shirt created a striking contrast with his fair features. His light brown eyes were the kind you could drown in-but, unfortunately, not me.

He was undeniably attractive, but you can't force love. Especially when I knew my true mate was somewhere close.

We exchanged a few words on the way, and soon Arthur drove me to the restaurant. Étoile had opened only recently and already had excellent reviews, a wonderful menu-and prices to match.

As soon as we stepped inside, my jaw nearly hit the floor. The place was stunning, with interior design that looked like it came straight out of the latest magazines. And somehow, amidst all the luxury, live plants blended seamlessly, creating a unique mix of comfort and style.

A young hostess led us to our table and handed us the menus.

"How on earth did you manage to book a table here?" I couldn't help but ask. Arthur just smiled mysteriously.

"Let's just say... a good friend owed me a favor, and here we are. Order whatever you want."

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you!" I teased, pretending to threaten him with a smile. Still, despite my words, I only ordered a salad and some fish. Arthur made his own choice and asked for a bottle of wine.

"So, tell me-why did you run away to the city?"

"A job opportunity came up. I couldn't pass on it. And... after my grandfather's death, I really needed a distraction."

"And? Is it working?"

"Not quite yet. I just had the interview. I still need to work two trial days, and then they'll let me know if I'm officially hired."

"And what will you be doing?"

"Assistant to the secretary at a very prestigious company."

"Ohhh, so basically a girl running errands," he teased with a smile.

"Hey!" I kicked him lightly under the table. "Don't say it like that!"

"Alright, alright, I'm joking," Arthur laughed.

"Though... you're not entirely wrong. But it doesn't bother me at all. The position is well paid, and it'll be great experience to have on my résumé," I said almost indifferently. "And what about you? How are things on your end?" I decided to shift the focus away from myself.

"I'm here on business. I need to arrange with a veterinary pharmacy about the supply of medicine for cattle."

Arthur had loved animals since childhood, so it was no surprise he had become a veterinarian-and a very successful one at that. People even brought animals from other cities to him for treatment, everything from hamsters to purebred racehorses. He was also extremely popular with ladies who owned pampered little dogs. Sometimes, I honestly suspected those dogs pretended to be "sick" just so their owners had an excuse to visit the handsome doctor.

Our conversation was easy and lighthearted, filled with laughter.

Until the doors of the restaurant opened and new guests stepped inside. The fresh air from outside carried their scent straight to me.

I felt my eyes flare, my wolf instantly on guard. My gaze locked onto the reason for my sudden turmoil.

Konstantin.

He was walking through the hall, and on his arm- a woman. Not just any woman, but one who looked like a walking advertisement for plastic surgery.

Seriously? Is that really Konstantin's taste in women?!

The long-legged "miracle" floated across the floor on towering heels, her golden dress barely managing to cover her perfectly showcased rear. Her chest was crammed into the neckline, like rising dough clinging desperately to the edges of a bowl, ready to spill out at any second.

Her platinum blonde hair cascaded down to her lower back, and those lips-good grief! Painted in bright red, swollen and pouty, as if begging for attention.

Of course, compared to that kind of beauty, I was light-years away. If that was his type of woman, then I simply didn't stand a chance. Not even the tiniest one.

The wolf inside me was snarling, and I was doing my best to keep a straight face.

My good mood evaporated in an instant. Arthur noticed.

"Something's wrong? You just went quiet all of a sudden," he asked with concern, looking at me. "Your eyes..."

"It's nothing, really. It happens," I tried to force a smile, but it barely came out.

"Alright, I'll believe you... For now. It's not even a full moon. You're not going to shift here, are you?" Arthur asked seriously.

"No, of course not!" I answered, then added a quieter, less confident, "...I shouldn't..."

I tried to pull myself together, and it seemed to work. Arthur didn't push to figure out the reason for my mood, and I silently thanked him for that.

"You know, your sister's growing into quite the beauty. Bet she's swamped with suitors," Arthur said, steering the conversation elsewhere.

"Yeah, I think there's one guy she likes. She won't stop talking about him. What do they call it now? A 'crush.' She has a teenage crush. She's a fan of some pop group popular with the youth. Posters all over her room. Classic teenager stuff," I said with a smile, remembering myself at her age. I, too, wanted an otherworldly love, probably like any girl at that time. But I didn't have that unbearable youthful extremism. I never swooned over boys from magazine covers. I didn't even dye my hair. Once I tried highlights, but I didn't like it much, so I stuck with my natural color-at least until gray starts showing. Luckily, I haven't noticed any white hairs yet.

"And you? When are you going to find yourself a girl?" I asked. "Surely there's some beauty on your radar?"

"Well... there is, but I'm still not sure about her. We've met a couple of times," he said flatly.

"Then why am I here and not her?"

"You know... I always have time for you," Arthur replied, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

I continued talking with Arthur, but I couldn't stop glancing at the table nearby. From my angle, it was practically in plain view, just behind Arthur.

My eyes met Konstantin's. Did he remember me from that brief encounter at the office-or not? Should I greet him-or not? I felt like I should, but I couldn't even manage a nod.

And then... that scarecrow next to him noticed her companion's distraction. She swung her long leg toward Konstantin's lap! She should have been embarrassed-it was, after all, a public place.

My claws extended instinctively, and my gel polish flew off in an unknown direction. In a burst of furious, instinctive rage, I shredded the tablecloth right beside my plate. The wolf inside me growled and bared her teeth-they were touching WHAT'S MINE.

Arthur abruptly grabbed my hand without a word and led me toward the restaurant exit. Once we were outside, I began to regain some composure.

"Have you calmed down?" he asked. "Wait a minute-should I go settle the bill?"

I nodded silently, staring at the pavement. He walked away briefly but returned very quickly.

"Let's take a walk in the park," he suggested, offering me his arm.

I silently agreed. As we reached the neatly maintained park paths, Arthur finally spoke again:

"Don't you want to tell me what that was? I've never seen you like that before, especially in public."

I sighed heavily. What could I possibly say?

"It's... complicated. I don't really understand it myself."

"Start somewhere, even a little bit," he urged.

"I think... I met my mate. He was at the restaurant, and he wasn't... himself. As you can see, my beast didn't like it one bit," I said, turning my gaze away so Arthur wouldn't notice the tears threatening to spill.

"Did you meet him just now, or earlier?"

"A little earlier..." I trailed off, holding back my tears. I didn't want to go into details, but Arthur wasn't letting it go.

"You've only been in the city a couple of days," he reasoned aloud. "So this... is someone from your new job?"

Why won't you let it go! I thought, but I didn't say it out loud. I didn't want to be rude.

"Yes. But the job isn't officially mine yet, and nothing is really clear. And I'm not ready to share details because... there aren't really any yet. Sorry."

Arthur sighed heavily, staring straight ahead, but didn't say anything.

"And I think... our intimate time together, beyond just friendship, needs to stop too. My wolf won't let another man near me now that he is around. She has recognized him, and he's nearby," I said.

"Ah, and here I was thinking we'd have some fun today! I even invited you to the restaurant, spent some money, and you just ruined it!" he exclaimed, annoyed. I stopped in my tracks and looked at him wide-eyed, noticing the barely suppressed smile tugging at his lips.

"Oh, go on!" I exhaled and lightly punched his shoulder with my fist.

"But at least you're smiling now," he said, laughing.

One of the things I really love about Arthur is how easy he is to talk to. He always finds a way to lift your mood. His jokes... on anyone else, they might be annoying, but not with him. There's no malice in his teasing, no hidden intent to hurt, so you simply can't get mad at him. He can spin everything in such a way that it's impossible to stay upset.

"I told you, you should've invited some girl with a little dog! They wouldn't have said no! Then we could have had some fun. Instead, you get to listen to my suffering," I said, smiling.

"No way. Sometimes those girls are so... you'd be better off joining a monastery. But you? That's a different story!" He paused, thinking it over. "Maybe... still yes?" he asked, mischief dancing in his eyes.

"No. And don't even hope for it," I replied, laughing.

"Damn!" he grimaced playfully, feigning frustration. "But worth a try. If anything changes, call me," he said with a smile.

"Got it," I replied.

Word by word, our conversation continued as we casually made our way to the apartment where I was staying. My mood had lifted thanks to Arthur. We stopped at the door, and he turned to face me.

"And now, no more jokes. You know you can always count on me," he said seriously. "If you need support or a friend, I'll always help you, Dana."

I pressed my lips together to keep from crying. He's so good. I hope life treats him well and he finds the one who will bring him happiness.

"I know, Arthur. I know, and I really appreciate it. Thank you."

We hugged, he kissed me on the cheek, and we said goodbye.